What are the best prime lenses for Nikon Z cameras?

Oh man, welcome to the Z family!! I've been using the Z6II for a while now and honestly, you're gonna love it. Since you're doing street and portraits, I'd highkey suggest sticking with the f/1.8 S-line glass. The f/1.2 lenses are AMAZING but they're basically bricks... sooo heavy and expensive for daily walkaround stuff. I mean, do you really wanna carry a 2lb lens for street photography? Idk about you, but my wrist would die lol. Here's what I recommend for a practical, high-quality setup: - Nikon NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.8 S: This is literally a must-have. It’s pretty affordable (usually around $600) and way sharper than any 50mm has a right to be. It's basically the gold standard for the system.
- Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S: For portraits, this lens is pure magic. The bokeh is super smooth and it’s way easier to handle than the massive f/1.2 version which costs wayyy more.
- Nikon NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S: My favorite for street work. It’s small enough to stay lowkey but the sharpness is incredible even wide open.
- Nikon NIKKOR Z 40mm f/2: If you're really worried about weight, this little lens is dirt cheap and tiny. It’s not S-line, but for candid street stuff? It's fantastic. Tbh, the f/1.8 primes are the sweet spot for cost-effectiveness and real-world usage. Unless you've got money to burn, the extra weight of the f/1.2 glass just isnt worth it most of the time. gl with the new setup! 👍

Can confirm

Bump - same question here

yo, just saw this thread and honestly, I went through this last year. i've been shooting professionally for over a decade, and when i made the jump to mirrorless, i initially blew my entire budget on the top-tier f/1.2 glass because i thought i needed that 'pro' look for my street work. ngl, it was a huge mistake for my specific workflow. IIRC, some colleague told me that the sharpness difference is literally negligible for most street photography. I've tried many setups over the years and found that:
- the heavy glass is basically a brick after three hours of walking.
- your wrist will hate you if you don't use a heavy grip with the big primes.
- the budget-friendly f/1.8 options are actually better for discreet shots cuz people dont notice you as much. it's kinda funny, i spent all that money and ended up trading back down to the lighter S-line stuff. i guess i'm just cautious about weight now after years of back pain lol. plus, the cost difference let me buy a second body which was way more practical for my biz. tbh, i think the f/1.2 is highkey overkill unless your doing high-end studio stuff where you aren't moving much. my lesson was basically: don't prioritize aperture over your actual ability to stay out shooting all day. gl with the new gear!!